Multiple Mudbugs Prospects Readying for National Tournament

A number of future Mudbugs players are set to travel to Pittsburgh, PA next week for the USA Hockey Tier I Midget National tournament. Six of Shreveport’s eight tendered players captured regular season, league, state and/or district championships to earn the right to compete for the national crown starting on April 6.

Shreveport’s first tender, forward Hunter Hogue, helped lead his Ohio ‘AAA’ Blue Jackets to the Mid-American District championship, in a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over Culver Academy on March 19. Forward Bennett Norlin will enter the tournament donning the colors of a Shattuck St. Mary’s program that consistently competes to be the last team standing. 2000 birth years Nikolai Jenson and Jordan Randall of Omaha ‘AAA’s U16 squad and Jake Transit and Cannon Green of the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies round out the list of Bugs tenders attending the National Tournament.

In addition to the above-mentioned players, Shreveport tender, defenseman Jack Clement, captained his Brother Rice High School squad to the Michigan High School State Championship earlier this month.

Mudbugs Director of Scouting Mike Grattan and Associate Head Coach Francis Anzalone will be on hand in Pittsburgh to support these future Bugs, will also continuing to identify talent for the 2017-2018 season.

“Winning doesn’t happen by accident,” Grattan said. “These National Tournament berths are a true testament to our tendered players, their coaches and respective programs. We feel very fortunate to have these winners in our program, and we are confident that the experience of playing on this stage will help accelerate the development of these boys and ready them for their futures.”

For a more in-depth look at the players tendered by the Mudbugs for 2017-2018, click here.